Paper for the Living Spirit Conference, University of Surrey,
Guildford, England, July 22-24 2002
by Robin Alfred, with Robin Shohet of the Findhorn Consultancy Service
Developing Practical Spirituality in the Workplace
It seems that all the overripe hierarchies of the world, from corporations to nation states, are in trouble and are calling, however reluctantly, on their people for more creativity, commitment and innovation. If these corporate bodies can demand those creative qualities which by long tradition belong so directly to our being, to our soul, they must naturally make room for their disturbing presence within their buildings and their borders. – David Whyte
This paper will
- introduce a 5-pointed holistic definition of spirituality
- outline what one might expect to find in an organisation which practices “spirituality at work
- explain the terms “emotional intelligence” and “spiritual intelligence”
- demonstrate how we have worked to develop emotional and spiritual intelligence in several organisations
- conclude by introducing the concept of the quadruple bottom line – businesses that are economically viable, environmentally sound, socially responsible, and spiritually intelligent.
